For One So Small
by give-in-to-love
Summary: Special thanks to Katie who suggested this story plotline! Sydney goes on a mission to New York. After a run in with the members of the Law & Order SVU, team she finds a baby girl…what happens next? Read more!
1. Chapter 1: My Name isn't Michael Vaughn

Title: For One So Small

Pairing: S/V, Eric/Nadia

Timeline: Sort of AU. Takes place after Season Four except Nadia didn't go all psycho crazy. But no Season five because I want this to be happy.

Summary: Special thanks to Katie who suggested this story plotline! Sydney goes on a mission to New York. After a run in with the members of the Law & Order SVU, team she finds a baby girl…what happens next? Read more!

Disclaimer: You know the drill; JJ owns everything Alias related, no matter how much I digress. I don't know who owns Law & Order SVU but it's not me. Because if I did? Well let's just say I wouldn't be in debt.

Rating: T for mushy gushy stuff and thematic elements and child endangerment.

* * *

Chapter One: My name isn't Michael Vaughn

Sydney's arm reached out in her bed, expecting to hit into a warm lump.

But there was nothing but a cold expanse of sheet. She rolled over and looked at her cell phone.

14 missed calls. All from him. 14 new voicemails. All from him.

"_Baby, please. Just pick up. Honey, let me explain. I love you Sydney. I don't want to hurt you. Sydney, please, just call me back, or answer my calls_."

Delete.

"_Sydney, I know you are ignoring me. Weiss told me that Nadia told him that you cry at night. I want to be there for you Sydney. Please just pick up. I swear I will explain everything to you. Sydney, I love you. Let me help you and hold you when you cry_."

Delete.

"_Syd. Please forgive me."_

Delete.

"_Joey's Pizza_."

Delete.

She couldn't hold back the tears anymore. The only person she thought she could trust, the only person she told everything to, had lied to her. He had betrayed her. Sydney laid on her bed crying. She missed him so much; she wanted to be with him. But she didn't know if she could go back to him. And then the baby. She had been late and ecstatic. She figured that she tell him when they were in Santa Barbara. Her doctor confirmed the miracle pregnancy, so she had prepared a little gift to give him. A baby bottle with the date they met on it. But she lost the baby in the car accident. And she had lost Vaughn.

He was still alive, but she had lost him anyway. His name was Scott Relarn. He had been adopted by the Vaughns' when he was a year old and his name was legally changed to Michael Vaughn. But that didn't matter. What mattered was that he had lied to her about his true intentions. He was a bad guy.

Sydney heard her doorbell ring and groaned as she remembered that Nadia had gone out for the night. Sydney pulled herself out of her bed and lightly ran her fingers through her hair. She padded to the front door and swung it open.

Three seconds later she regretted the fact that she hadn't looked through the peephole.

Michael Vaughn was standing on the stoop.

"Sydney…"

She tried to slam the door shut but his hand prevented it.

"We need to talk, baby."

"About what? And don't call me baby."

"Sydney, just stop and listen to me, ok? It's killing me that I can't be with you. It destroys me that you are upset and I'm not there to hold you. Why are you so angry Sydney?"

"Why am I so angry? You lied to me! I don't even know who the real you are!"

"Sydney, I am the real me. Just because I was adopted and that I worked for French intelligence doesn't change me. Bill Vaughn will always be my real father and you will always be the one I love."

"French intelligence? What the hell?"

"Yes, I was a double agent. My mission was to train a new agent to become eventually part of the French intelligence."

"And that agent was me?"

"Yes"

"I can't believe you. You manipulated me, you lied to me!"

"No I didn't Syd. I dropped the mission and left French intelligence about two weeks after I met you. Then I told the CIA what I had done. They forgave me and granted me clemency because of my father."

"Did my father know?"

"Yes. And your mother. She told me to tell you the truth. I was in contact with them after we received evidence that my father might still be alive. They asked me to do a few missions for them and I complied. The CIA said it was ok. I stopped however right before we went to Santa Barbara. I didn't want to lie to you anymore. Weiss and Nadia know too, I told them yesterday."

"Why did you lie to me?"

"Because if I didn't, we would have ended up like this. Fighting, angry at each other. I can't stand it, Syd. I told you the truth because I didn't want our marriage to be based on lies."

"Yeah I couldn't deal with my baby growing up with a lying parent."

Vaughn stilled and Sydney immediately cursed herself and wished she could take her words back.

"What baby?"

"It doesn't matter, Vaughn."

"Are you pregnant Syd?"

Sydney began to cry and Vaughn wrapped his arms around her, a familiar gesture. She tried to push him away but he held tighter and murmured words of comfort. Sydney felt herself give in and she buried her face in Vaughn's chest.

"Are we going to be parents, Syd?"

"Were. We were going to be parents. I—I was going to tell you in Santa Barbara. But, I—I l—lost the baby in the car crash."

"Oh Syd. Oh baby. Oh my God. Sydney. Baby, I'm sorry."

Vaughn gently rocked her as she cried into her chest.

"I'm so sorry Vaughn. Our baby."

"Shh, honey its ok. Everything is going to be ok."

Sydney looked up at Vaughn. He was crying lightly too. She gently wiped away his tears.

"Vaughn, I love you."

"I love you too, Sydney."

"I still want to marry you."

"Really?"

"Yea."

* * *

Ok we start the mission to New York next chapter. This chapter was pretty much just setting the scene and Sydney's state of mind for finding the baby. 


	2. Chapter 2:Forget Regret

Feel free to stop me and send me in the right direction if you think I'm going off on tangents. Thanks to **IHeartVaughn **(Don't we all!) who made my day when they wrote on my last fic that I was an awesome writer! And this chapter will feature the very awesome Eric Weiss (especially for **Neith4Weiss)** who meet a terrible end in my last two fics.

* * *

Chapter Two: Forget Regret

Sydney woke up confused.

She was on her couch and covered with a fleece blanket. But what confused her most was the person she was lying on, Vaughn. She stiffened but then remembered the conversation they had last night. His arms tightened around her and Sydney looked up at his face. He was awake.

"Hey Syd."

"Hey. What time did we fall asleep last night?"

"I don't know. You drifted off around eleven and I was contemplating bringing you to your bedroom when I guessed I clonked out. You're not upset are you?"

"No. Actually, I feel the best I felt since the accident."

"Good, now who put this blanket over us?"

"Morning lovebirds!" Eric Weiss's voice boomed across the living room.

Sydney pulled herself up into a sitting position to look at her good friend. He was standing at the entrance of the room in an undershirt and boxers. And behind him was Nadia in an oversized T-shirt.

"Hey Syd. When Eric and I came in last night, I didn't wake you up because you looked so peaceful. I threw the blanket over you two. I'm also making some breakfast, anyone want?"

"I do!" Eric squealed.

Nadia left the room to make breakfast and Sydney went to follow her but Vaughn pulled her back down on to the couch.

"You rest baby. Don't tire yourself out."

"Vaughn, are you going to treat me like a piece of glass now?"

"What are you two talking about?" Eric interrupted.

"Don't worry about it."

"Oh is someone a little grouchy this morning Mikey?"

"Weiss…"

"Did you not get what you wanted last night from one Ms. Sydney Bristow? Because I'm not listening to whine about how much you miss her again."

"Don't worry Eric we made up, Vaughn was talking about something else."

"Oh, and your not going to share?"

"Weiss come on man, just drop it."

"Vaughn, it's ok, he deserves to know, and so does Nadia."

"Know what?" Nadia interrupted, carrying in a stack of toast and fruit.

"You might want to sit down." Sydney waited until Nadia and placed herself next to Eric on the couch before continuing. "I was pregnant." She felt Vaughn's arms tighten around her middle protectively as her voice began to falter. "I was going to tell Vaughn in Santa Barbara, but I lost the baby in the car accident."

"Oh Sydney, why didn't you tell me?" Nadia exclaimed before rushing over to hold her sister's trembling form.

Eric looked at Vaughn with shock on his face. He was clearly regretting prodding Sydney into her telling her secrets right now. Weiss cleared his throat, preparing to speak when he was interrupted by the sound of four phones going off. They each reached for their respective phones, answered them and hung up frowning.

"I can't believe Sloane wants us to come in today." Vaughn groaned.

"Every since he was pardoned for turning against us, he's be working us like horses. I guess he decided yours and Sydney's vacations were long enough." Weiss responded with a smirk.

Less than an hour later, all four agents walked into APO. They were directed to a briefing room were Dixon, Jack, Marshall, and Sloane were waiting for them.

"Good morning" Sloane greeted them, a creepy smile playing across his features.

Sydney shuddered involuntarily. Ever since he had been pardon, she had sensed that he was up to something. Sure, she had sense this before the whole Elena incident, but now it seemed ten times worse. Wouldn't she love to just expose all of Sloane's secrets right now. Sydney glanced over at Nadia who was listening to her father attentively as he detailed some mission or another. As much as Sydney wanted to break Sloane, she didn't want to hurt her sister as well.

"Sydney."

Her gaze snapped back to Sloane at the sound of her name, trying to make it appear as though she had been paying attention to him the whole time.

"Yes."

"As I was saying, the CIA has had an agent working as a mole in Global Rings, the front company for a terror organization known as the Ring of Life, for some time. Recently she called to be extracted. The CIA passed this case on to us because they do not wish to inform Global Rings who the mole belongs to."

"Who is the mole?" Dixon asked curios.

"Agent Brigid Breslin, age 27." Sloane nodded to Marshall who turned the projector on. The image of a beautiful woman with brown curly hair and blue eyes appeared on the screen. Sloane continued to talk as images of the agent at work began to reel across the screen.

"She works at the headquarters in New York City. She called for extraction approximately two hours ago. For whatever reason, her name wasn't change when she took this job and she is operating under the name Brigid Breslin. However, she didn't give a reason. Sydney, Vaughn you two are to fly to New York City in a half an hour. You are to meet Ms. Breslin at the Café Pres. The sign will be a cup of coffee with a blue pen leaning on it. You will approach her and ask if the Yankees are in town. To which she will reply, No they are in Boston kicking some Red Sox ass. Nadia, Weiss, and Dixon. Sydney and Vaughn will transmit the information they receive from Agent Breslin. You are to decode the Intel and try to figure out what this group is planning. Be safe, everyone."

The meeting was adjourned. Sydney turned to Vaughn and grabbed the paperwork.

"Let's get going."

"Sydney, Vaughn, I forgot to tell you something." Sloane interrupted. "Ms. Breslin has an eighteen month old daughter, Katie. You'll have to extract her too."


	3. Chapter 3: The Pain Will Ease

Woot Woot. I'm updating! Please review? I get really happy when I check my mail and its like you have new mail and then its all review for one of my stories! Oh btw, I wrote a poem called Alice in Wonderland for an English class. Of course I threw in a little Syd! Oh another disclaimer. The lyrics I use at the very beginning and very end of this chapter are from Wonderwall by Oasis, which I do not own.

* * *

Chapter Three: The Pain Will Ease 

_And all the roads we have to walk are winding_

_And all the lights that lead the way are blinding_

_There are many things I like to say to you but I don't know how._

"Jack, I need to talk to you, in private." Vaughn nervously requested to his future father-in-law.

"What is it Agent Vaughn?" he said as Jack closed his office door.

"It's about Sydney. I know you don't approve of me. However, you did give me permission to marry her, which I fully intend on doing."

"Well I assumed you would, I don't see your point, and this is old news."

"Sydney was pregnant. She lost the baby in the car accident. I don't think that it is wise to let her go out on missions so soon. It could do her damage."

"Agent Vaughn have you discussed this with my daughter."

"No sir. You know Sydney just as well as I do. She would never agree to take time off."

"If you claim to know my daughter as well as you think you do, you also know that she hates to be patronized and treated like she is a weak little girl, which is precisely what you are doing. I don't need my daughter mad at me. I won't authorize taking her off missions."

"Goddamnit Jack, don't you care about her health and her safety."

"Agent Vaughn, don't ever underestimate my love and compassion for my daughter. Now I believe you have a plane to catch. Have a good trip."

Vaughn walked out of Jack's office and right into Sydney.

"There you are. Come on, we have to get on the plane. Why were you in my father's office? Was he given you a hard time?"

"I'll tell you later. Let's get on the plane."

The plane was very nice and high fashioned. Sydney examined it eagerly and discovered a mini bar with not only alcohol but candy as well. She walked to the cabin of the plane where Vaughn was reviewing the mission, carry candy bars and some other snacks.

"Whoever packed this fridge knows me to well. Oooooo Snickers!" she dropped the pile into an empty chair before grabbing a bar and waltzing over to Vaughn. He was oblivious to her. She smiled wickedly and began to lightly trace patterns on the back of his neck with her fingertips.

"Cut that out Syd, I'm trying to review the mission."

The smile dropped from her face and she began to pout. Sydney plopped down on the seat directly opposite from Vaughn and shot him with the bets death stare she could manage. He finally felt her angry eyes on him and his head popped up questioningly.

"What's wrong Syd?"

"What's wrong with you Vaughn? You've been ignoring me."

"I have a lot on my mind."

"Talk to me about it. It's not like I'm not your fiancé or anything." She waggled her fingers at him, the ring catching in the light.

"It's nothing baby."

"Does it have anything to do with why you were talking to my father in his office?"

"No."

"Really? Because it looked like you two were getting very verbal about it."

"Sydney it was nothing."

"Don't you dare lie to me, Vaughn."

"Can't we just drop it?"

"Stop being a patronizing jerk."

Vaughn looked directly at Syd. She was pissed off. Her face was flushed and her eyes were shooting daggers in his direction. She was clenching and unclenching her fist and he got the distinct impression that she wanted to kick his ass. Unable to take the tension anymore, he got up and crossed the short distance between them. Not letting her protest, he drew her into his arms and sank back into the seat next to her.

"I'm sorry Syd."

"Don't think I'm going to forgive you that easily."

"I told your father about the miscarriage."

"What? Vaughn, why?"

"Two reasons. One, he has the right to know that he lost a grandchild. Two, I wanted him to take you off of missions for awhile. Just until we were sure you had fully recovered."

"I can't believe you went behind my back like that. Vaughn, I am not some piece of glass. I can handle this."

"That's almost exactly what your father said."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He also hinted several times that I wasn't right for you but I kind of block those now. Truth is Sydney, I would be and I was lost without you. I don't ever want to experience that feeling again, no matter how scary Jack Bristow is."

Sydney laughed and rested her head on Vaughn shoulder. His hand was massaging her stomach, a feeling she rather enjoyed. She thought about their lost baby and wondered if they could have another one. Her eggs had been removed, but apparently they missed some, or at least she hoped. Sydney tried to picture their children in her mind. She wanted them to have his eyes.

"This is your captain. We will be landing in La Guardia airport in approximately fifteen minutes.

"Baby"

"Mmm?" Sydney mummered.

"What are you thinking about?"

"You."

_And maybe _

_You're going to be the one that saves me_

_And after all_

_You're my wonderwall._

* * *

A/N: La Guardia airport services the five boroughs. It is located on Long Island. I only know this becausemy daddy'sa native Long Islander and I live in the Bronx. Do you know what else is on Long Island? The Islanders. Which is a hockey team. hint hint 


	4. Chapter 4: NYC, Center of the Universe

I must apologize! I am so sorry for having Vaughn call Sydney baby all the time. I must admit I was under the influence of my boyfriend when I wrote the chapters and he calls me baby, not in a sexist way, but more of in a Dirty Dancing way. (Nobody puts Baby in the corner). So I was somewhat high on the hey there baby fumes! It won't happen again! Anyways, this story is going to be put on hold for a few days because I'm going home to be with my friend. She's having an operation to remove the tumor this weekend. Fingers crossed for everything to go well!

* * *

Chapter Four: New York City, Center of the Universe

No matter what city she traveled to, she always favored New York, from a spy's perspective. The crowds made it easy to get lost in and the diversity of people never made her stand out like a sore thumb. Sydney always fit in, whether she was wearing a skintight red mini dress, a business suit, or an elegant ball gown.

The crowds seem rather thicker today then normal. Vaughn and she had gotten through the airport easily as Mr. and Mrs. Patterson from Texas. APO had not given them any disguise except for the aliases, so Sydney and Vaughn were left on their own to develop their characters. She was wearing low slung jeans, and a light pink tiny tee. Vaughn had gone for a more Texan look, jeans and a plaid shirt with a cowboy hat. The hardest part was catching a cab to Manhattan and the hotel they were staying in. With their Texan drawl, the cab driver had found it hard to understand them, and they ended up in the Bronx before he realized what they wanted.

They moved easily through the thick throng of people, blending in easily with the tourists. Vaughn's hand was reassuring at the small of her back, making sure they were not separated. Sydney spied the Café Pres and nudged Vaughn. They crossed the street and Sydney began scanning for the agent.

It didn't take long to pick her out. She was a beautiful young brunette sitting at a table for four. Her hair was loose and she was in a white tank top and an airy pink peasant skirt. But what made her stand out the most was the toddler in the high chair next to her. The little girl had inherited her mother's brown curls and blue eyes. She was smiling. That smile was exquisite. The child's whole face was lit up and she had two dimples on her cheeks. Sydney drew her eyes away from the child to look at the table. Sure enough, there was a cup of coffee with a blue pen leaning against it. She started to move forward, grabbing Vaughn by the hand.

"Excuse me miss? Do you know if the Yankees are in town?"

"No they are in Boston kicking some Red Sox ass."

Brigid motioned for them to sit and Sydney followed her blue eyes as she gave them a once over. She then pulled out a lipstick and twisted it, placing the tube on the table.

"Bug killer."

"I figured." Sydney responded "I am Agent Sydney Bristow; this is my partner Agent Michael Vaughn."

"Brigid Breslin. This is my daughter Katie."

"She's absolutely adorable."

"Why thank you. But down to business. Global Rings is indeed a front company for the Ring of Life. All the files and documents that prove their plan are back at my apartment. I'm going to give you the address in case something happens."

"Ok Ms. Breslin—"

"Please, Brigid."

"Ok Brigid. Vaughn and I will escort you to your apartment. You can collect the files and some belongings for you and your daughter. We will then head over to our hotel where we will transmit the documents back to our team in LA. As soon as that is done, we'll head over to the airport and get you and Katie out of here."

"I think I should return to my apartment by myself. They watch us very closely and I don't want to run the risk of them identifying you as CIA. I did a sweep to make sure that none of their agents are here, but I can't guarantee that the situation will be true at my apartment. Give me your hotel and room number and I will meet you there after I pick up the files and pack a bag for Katie."

"Brigid I don't think that is a good idea."

"Agent Bristow. If they identify you as CIA at my apartment they will not hesitate to kill my daughter."

"It's still not safe."

"Sydney let her go. She knows this company better than we do. She's right."

"Thank you Agent Vaughn, I must be going now however."

Brigid rose and put away the bug killer. She picked up the pen and began to lightly tap on the table with it.

"I hope you folks enjoy your stay in the city. I can't believe your Maggie's sister. You two are so different!"

Sydney responded while tapping her fingers on the table.

"We are, aren't we? It was such a joy meeting you and the little critter!"

As Brigid walked away, Vaughn lightly touched Sydney's shoulder.

"Did she give you her address?"

"Yes. She typed it out in Morse code. I gave her the hotel name and room number as well. She also told us to come to her apartment if we don't hear from her in the next two hours."

"Do you think that's going to be necessary?"

"I really hope not Vaughn."

Sydney and Vaughn wasted the next two hours in their hotel room, working up aliases for Brigid and her baby. When two hours came and went, Vaughn and Sydney made their way to Brigid's apartment fully armed. They feared what they would find there, and Vaughn couldn't shake the feeling that he had just caused another child to die.

Her apartment was a cute little brownstone tucked away on a side street. Sydney motioned for Vaughn to take the back door as she went up to the front stairs. Sydney slowly approached the door, noting that it showed no signs of forced entry. But she thought she heard crying coming from inside. Sydney prayed that it was the tenants in the apartment that was right next door.

She cautiously swung open the front door.

It was mayhem. Everything in the apartment was turned over. Papers and clothes were flying everywhere. The water was running in the kitchen and the back door was off its hinges. Vaughn was in the middle of the kitchen looking at Sydney.

"Do you hear crying, Syd?"

"Yea."

They made their way towards the source of the sound. It was coming from behind a set of closed wooden doors. Sydney opened them and almost fainted out the sight before her.

Brigid was lying on a bed, dead. Her blood was all over the room. Vaughn ran to check for a pulse and Sydney walked about the room searching for the crying that she was sure was in here. Stopping at a closet, Sydney swung open the door and pushed back the clothes. There curled up in the back of the closet was Katie, crying. Sydney drew the little girl into her arms and tried to block her sight from the scene in the bedroom. The little girl kept on crying mama. Sydney tried to shush her and turned to face an ashen Vaughn.

"She's dead. We have to get out of here, Syd. She wrote something on her bedspread in her blood. 'Don't forget Katie's teddy'. We have to take her daughter and get back to LA."

"Vaughn, I think that's were the files might be, why would she write that?"

Sydney looked at the little girl in her arms. She had fallen asleep from her tears.

"Go pack a few spare diapers and look for baby food and formula. I'll find the teddy."

As they separated, Sydney did a quick glance around the room and assumed that one of the doors led to the nursery. She went through one and was in a warm yellow room with a bunny trim. A crib was in the center, with a single teddy in it. The teddy was pink and had "Katie" written on it in script. Sydney shifted the little girl's weight to one arm and pulled the teddy out of the crib. She squeezed it and was satisfied when she felt something more than fluff in the huge stuffed animal.

Vaughn came into the nursery with a bag. He showed the contents to Sydney. Baby food, bottles, and formula. She nodded and pointed out the diapers to him. Sydney then went over to the dresser and pulled out spare onesies and some extra clothes.

"Ready?" Vaughn asked, his voice hushed.

Sydney opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted by a shout.

"FREEZE. Put the bag on the floor and turn around slowly with you hands in the air. Both of you."

Sydney and Vaughn turned simultaneously to face the proud members of the NYPD.

* * *

Hope it was a good enoguh chapter to hold you for a few days:) 


	5. Chapter 5: The Powers That Be

Hey thanks for your patience! My friend's operation went very smoothly. Oh, this is important. The title of this chapter is a line from the Broadway Musical Rent (which I have a fetish with). While this is true for all to most of my chapters, this particular line is said by Collins, who was originally played by Jesse L. Martin who is Detective Ed Green in Law & Order.

Also thanks for the baby advice! My baby sister is five so its been awhile since we had a really young one in the house.

* * *

Chapter Five: The Powers That Be

Sydney sat in stunned silence holding Katie on her lap. The police squad was searching the apartment and they had brought in a coroner. She glanced over at Vaughn who was sitting next to her and obviously formulating a plan. They had given the NYPD their aliases and Sydney knew to escape this mess they were going to have to reveal that they were CIA. A cop walked out to the living room, where they were sitting followed by a man and a woman.

"Hi. I'm Detective Elliot Stabler and this is my partner Detective Olivia Benson. We're from the special victims unit." The man addressed them.

"I'm Alex Patterson and this is my wife Lisa."

"And your child is?"

"She's not ours. Her name is Katie Breslin. Brigid, her mother, was friends with my sister Maggie. We came over to get a tour from her and we found the door ajar. So we went in. We found her dead." Sydney said

"So you packed a bag for the child and didn't call the police about your dead friend" Detective Benson asked.

"Look. We're just tourists. We didn't want to get in trouble for something we didn't do. Can we go now? I don't like my wife to be in her and I'm sure it isn't healthy for Katie to be in her either."

"We're going to have to take you down to the station for further questioning." Detective Benson answered.

Sydney and Vaughn were escorted out to the detectives' car. Katie started fussing the minute they got outside. Sydney turned and sprinted back into the apartment, grabbing the teddy they had left behind.

"She gets so fussy without her teddy." Sydney said to the suspicious detectives.

Personally, Sydney rather liked this interrogation room. It wasn't the ones she and Vaughn were use to; there were no objects of torture anywhere. However, their guns had been confiscated when they patted down for a search. They had been provided with coffee and Sydney requested so milk for Katie which she was happily drinking. Sydney and Vaughn didn't speak; instead they tapped out messages on the table in Morse code about what they were going to say to the detectives. They agreed on a story, none to soon for the door then swung open and Detectives Stabler and Benson walked in. They made their way to the table carrying a manila folder which Sydney deduced held crime scene photographs and the likes.

"How are you guys holding up?" Detective Stabler asked.

"Fine."

"Ok. Let me tell you what I think went down. You two went to talk to Ms. Breslin for something or another. You both had guns on you. We checked your names and found out that you, Mrs. Patterson, just lost a child in childbirth. So maybe she is really your sister's friend. But when you saw her child, you just got so jealous that this single woman could be a mother and you couldn't. So you killed Ms. Breslin for her baby. Maybe it was an accident. Maybe you, Mr. Patterson, sat back helplessly while your wife did the killing. Or vice versa. So tell us what happened and we can help you."

"You couldn't be farther from the truth, Detective Stabler." Sydney said shooting an icy glare at the detective who accused her of murder.

"So tell us what happened" Detective Benson said. "We might be able to cut you a deal."

"You might want to sit down for this." Vaughn waited until the detectives had taken a seat. "My name is Michael Vaughn. This is Sydney Bristow. We are CIA. So was Brigid Breslin. We are stationed in Los Angeles and were assigned to extract Brigid. We meet with her at the Café Pres earlier and she returned to her apartment with her daughter. We had plans to meet at our hotel, but when she didn't show up, we went to her apartment. We found her dead. We know the only way to save the child was to take her and run."

Detectives Stabler and Benson were staring at them like they had just admitting that they were international terrorists. Sydney sighed. This wasn't going to end good. She pulled out her CIA badge as Vaughn did the same. They slid them across the table to the detectives.

"We're going to have to confirm this with someone."

"Well, see there's a problem with that. We're a Black Ops division. Langley won't confirm it and neither will the CIA office here." Sydney replied.

"So how are we supposed to confirm this?"

"Let us contact our Los Angeles office. However, Langley might confirm Brigid. I don't know whether she was Black Ops or not."

"We'll see, Ms. Bristow.

The detectives left the room and turned to each other.

"Should we trust them, Elliot?"

"I don't know. We have a dead woman, brutally murdered and raped, who using her blood to write us a message on her bed sheets. We have two suspects found at the scene of the crime who claim to be CIA and that our vic was CIA too. Black Ops CIA, mind you. Did I leave anything out?"

"Yea, the baby."

0Back in LA0

"Sir, I managed to triangulate the distress signal released by Sydney and Vaughn. You see it was rather hard to do as the point just kept moving, but it stopped now."

"Good, Marshall. Send the coordinates to Dixon, Weiss and Nadia. I assume their plane is close to landing? Asked Sloane.

"Yes they should be arriving in the airport any minute."

"Good. You're dismissed Marshall."

"Sir, one more thing. Their signal, it's coming from a police station."

* * *

I'm not sure when the next chapter is going to be up. It's been absolute chaos for me for the past few days. Ooh one more thing. This is an Alias/SVU crossover. Somebody mentioned in a review that they thought I was crossing over three shows. I would, but I don't have that much energy! 


	6. Chapter 6: to Days of Inspiration

I'm updating again woo-hoo. Thanks for all the reviews. Katie is eighteen months old, which, according to a child development site, means she should have a vocabulary of 5-20 words. SO everything that happens in this chapter doesn't make her a super baby, juts plain normal.

* * *

Chapter Six: To Days of Inspiration

Sydney watched as Katie's eyes fluttered open from her nap.

"Mama?"

"She had to go away, honey, I'm going to take care of you now. My name is Sydney"

"Mama!"

The little girl began to cry and Sydney tried to calm her. She rubbed her back and offered her more milk, nothing seem to help. Sydney looked over helplessly at Vaughn who appeared just as clueless as her.

"Try singing to her Syd; sing her a lullaby or something."

Sydney did as Vaughn suggested and Katie stopped crying. She was still sniffling and tried to pull away from Sydney and get out of her lap. Vaughn grabbed her and swung her into his lap when she got away from Sydney.

"Hey Katie, do you like to play peek a boo?"

"NO NO NO. Mama, Mama!" Katie screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Where's Katie, where's Katie, Peek a boo!" Vaughn said, covering Katie's eyes trying to get her to play along, but she only screamed louder.

"Mama, Mama!"

"Where's Mikey, where's Mikey peek a boo!" Vaughn covered his own eyes and looking directly at the crying toddler.

Sydney was amazed. Katie had stopped screaming and was staring at Vaughn. He repeated his actions and Katie began to smile. Sydney watched as Vaughn took a risk and covered Katie's eyes to play peek a boo. A childish giggle broke through the room as Katie squealed with joy. Vaughn passed a now happy Katie back to Syd.

"What?"

"Vaughn, you were amazing! You are going to make such a great father."

"Wet."

Sydney turned to Katie who was sitting in her lap with the tiniest hint of a frown on her face.

"What Katie?"

"Wet."

"Wet? Is your diaper wet?"

Katie nodded her head. Sydney reached into the diaper bag that had been searched for weapons and pulled out a spare diaper, some baby wipes, powder, and a blanket. She was surprised Vaughn had thought to pack all this. Sydney laid the blanket on the table and put Katie on top of it before effectively handling the diaper. When Katie was all done she gave Sydney a light kiss and the cheek and wiggled off of Sydney's lap to the floor. She stood up on steady legs and grabbed Sydney's hand.

"Hide." She then pointed to Vaughn. "Peek"

"I think she wants to play hide and seek Vaughn."

"We probably have some time before the detectives come back in."

Sydney smiled and allowed herself to be lead to a hiding spot by Katie. Vaughn closed his eyes and began to count, a move that thoroughly excited the little girl. She and Sydney ducked behind a bookshelf in the room. Sydney watched as Katie covered her mouth with her hands to stop from giggling when Vaughn yelled ready or not here I come. She managed to keep the giggles under control until Vaughn found them when she let out a peal of laughter and flung her arms around Sydney's neck.

"More!" Katie exclaimed enthusiastically when the detectives came in.

Sydney and Vaughn both stood up to face the detectives. Katie confused at the loss of her playmates started to fuss until she saw her teddy under the table. She squealed and ran on wobbly legs to it, crawling under the table to hold the pink fur.

"We have no way of confirming that you two are actually CIA." Detective Stabler said.

"We were however able to confirm through Langley that Brigid Breslin was CIA. This means you two can be charged with murder of a government official unless you start telling the truth." Detective Benson continued. "We are also going to have to take Katie Breslin away and put her in social services."

"No. It's not safe. Ms. Breslin would have wanted us to take her daughter." Vaughn argued.

"Right now, you two are suspected of brutally murdering and raping a government official, attempting kidnapping of her daughter, and impersonating CIA officers. We will need DNA samples from both of you."

"Here take them, Detective Stabler." Sydney responded. "I can't believe—"

"Up!"

Sydney glanced down at Katie who was standing in the middle of the circle of adults and looking right at her.

"Up!" She repeated her request.

Sydney stooped to lift the toddler into her arms, pink teddy and all.

"We're going to have to take Katie now" Detective Benson said reaching for her.

"No. Like Agent Vaughn said before, she's safest with us!"

Olivia said nothing as she took the girl from Sydney's arms. It was a mistake though. As soon as she was in someone else's arms, the little girl began to cry.

"NO NO NO NO NO"

"Hush, Katie. I'm going to take you someplace safe." Olivia started towards the door attempting to soothe the child.

"NO NO NO NO. D-Nee! Ikey! D-Nee!"

"She wants us! That's what she's saying, Mikey, Sydney!" Vaughn said, starting towards the detective.

Olivia looked defeated, as against her better judgment she handed the child over. Vaughn immediately passed the girl to Sydney who began to lightly sing to her to soothe the child.

Elliot opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted when a uniformed cop came into the room.

"Detective Stabler, there are three people outside who need to see you. They claim it's about the murder of the CIA agent."

Elliot glanced at Olivia and they both left the room to look at this new development.

Sydney collapsed in one of the chairs still cuddling Katie closely.

"We can't let them take her away Vaughn."

"I know Syd. The people who killed Brigid might still be after her. Our only hope is to get her to LA. APO can take care of putting her with a family."

"No Vaughn. I think I want to adopt her."

"Syd…"

"Vaughn, it's not like I'm not ready for a child and you get along great with her. She's absolutely adorable and a little angel to boot. And it's probably bets if I keep her, that way she is safest."

"Syd…"

"Vaughn, please. I understand that people will just think I'm trying to replace the baby I lost. Maybe I am, but here is a little girl who needs a home and I think I can offer her the best and safest one. Any other family will not be able to protect her like we can."

"Syd, all I wanted to say was that we should adopt her, not just you. We can both be her parents."


	7. Chapter 7: Evening Officers

Here's the next chapter. Please bear with me that this story is going up slow. I just have a lot of work to do with my college and stuff.

* * *

Chapter Seven- Evening, Officers

Elliot somehow knew it was going to be a long day. After a quiet morning the detectives had been assigned a case that went from weird to just plain out bizarre. And now there were people who claimed to know about the murder. Olivia had reached the people first as she introduced herself and him. Elliot took a closer look at the eclectic group of people. There was a tall African American male with a deep voice and observant eyes, a dark-haired woman who looked Spanish and certainly spoke with a Spanish lilt to her voice, and a tall dark haired man who was slightly chubby, but obviously intelligent. They had introduced themselves as Marcus, Nadia, and Eric respectively, leaving off their last names.

"We will be happy to hear any information you have about the Breslin murder." Olivia told the group.

"It would probably be best if we spoke to you in private." The man called Marcus answered.

Elliot led the way to a small conference room and closed the door once everyone was inside. He and Olivia turned on the three people hoping for some help into cracking this case.

"My name is Marcus Dixon. This is Eric Weiss and Nadia Santos. We're CIA." The three showed their badges to the detectives.

"So obviously, you know that Brigid Breslin was CIA." Elliot stated.

"Yes. We don't know how much the other agents told you but we can confirm their story." He continued.

"What other agents?" Olivia asked, pretending to be oblivious.

"Agents Bristow and Vaughn." Nadia answered. "They are part of our team."

"So you are black ops too?" Elliot questioned.

"Yes." Eric answered.

"So how can we confirm that all five are you are truly CIA?" Elliot said looking at them.

"Easy. Call Langley. Tell the operator the code 098-76-324-4774. The operator will then connect you with Director Chase. When you get Chase on the phone tell her sparrows love only apples not eggs. She will then confirm all the agents in our division. You will provide the names of the agents you have here, and she will fax some of our profiles, pictures and little known details about us. She will also provide you with DNA sequences to check up against." Dixon said.

Olivia looked hesitantly at Elliot. He nodded and she left the room only to return a few minutes later with a lab technician. The lab technician drew blood from all three agents and Olivia left the room once again to call Langley.

Elliot looked at the three agents sitting across from him. He started to say something when he was interrupted by the woman.

"Is my sister ok?" she asked.

"Whose your sister?"

"Sydney. Agent Bristow. She hasn't exactly been feeling well lately." Nadia answered her eyes full of concern.

"She and the man with her are perfectly fine. But while we're here, why don't you tell us the story so we can match it against theirs." Elliot answered.

The three agents looked at each other and decided to do it. Dixon spoke for them.

"We received a notice from Langley that Agent Brigid Breslin requested to be extracted. They selected our division simply because she was deep undercover and we were black ops. We only gave you those codes to confirm our status because we determined that this place is bug free and that we would have confidentially in our exchange with you. The leader of our division selected Agents Bristow and Vaughn to do the actually extraction. We were the backup team and also we were the team they were going to send the Intel to."

"What Intel?"

"Ms. Breslin has been working undercover in the front agency for a terrorist group known as the Ring of Life. She managed to gather some Intel to prove that her company is working for them and also what the Ring of Life is planning to do. Obviously they discovered her and had her murdered after she made contact with our agents at the Café Pres." Dixon finished.

"What company is this? And what is this group planning on doing?"

"Detective Stabler, I cannot tell you the name of the company. Nor do we know if our agents managed to get the Intel from Ms. Breslin." Dixon replied.

Olivia entered the room carry a full manila folder.

"The information matches. The DNA sequences are the same for all agents as are the pictures and physical descriptions. We just have to ask you some security questions." Olivia said, taking a seat next to Elliot. She pulled out a sheet.

"Agent Dixon, what is your disability?" Olivia questioned.

"I am red-green colored blind in my left eye." Dixon answered.

"Good. Next. Agent Weiss, what happened to cause that scar on your neck?"

"I was shot by Irina Derevko." Weiss answered, recoiling at the memory.

"Who is Irina Derevko?" Elliot asked curiously.

"Sydney's and Nadia's mother. She's an international terrorist. It's a long, complicated, and seriously screwed up story detectives; you don't want to hear it." Weiss answered.

"Agent Santos, who ran the orphanage you lived at?" Olivia continued.

"Sophia Vergara. Also known as Elena Derevko, my aunt." Nadia answered.

Olivia turned to Elliot and nodded.

"We just have to do a security question with Agents Bristow and Vaughn and then you five will be free to go." Olivia said.

She and Elliot stood up to leave.

"Wait. Can't we come along?" Nadia asked.

"Ok. We'll put you behind the two way mirror." Elliot answered.

He escorted the agents to another room, smaller and darker then the one they had been in and then left with Detective Benson. Nadia rushed over to the mirror, through which she could see Sydney and Vaughn.

"Oh good. They're ok." She said.

"Yeah, but who's the kid?" Weiss pointed out, obviously confused.

"It must be Brigid's daughter. Syd told me that they had to extract a baby too." Nadia answered.

Dixon, Nadia, and Weiss watched as their friends played with the toddler.

"They are naturals when it comes to kids." Dixon commented from years of experience.


	8. Chapter 8: You're what you own

Wow it has been forever and a day since I updated. Well here it goes!

* * *

Chapter Eight: You're What You Own. 

Sydney listened as the detectives asked Vaughn a security question. They had done the same to her minutes ago but never fully explained what was going on or how they managed to get these questions. Katie was sitting on her lap, playing with the pink teddy that they had brought with them. She was babbling to it in a language that only she could understand and Sydney couldn't help but wonder if her child would have been as sweet as this little girl.

"Okay Agents Bristow and Vaughn, you're free to go." Detective Benson sad, escorting them out of the room and into the room next door where Weiss, Nadia and Dixon were waiting.

Nadia ran over to hug her sister and ask her a few personal questions.

"How are you feeling Syd?"

"I'm fine Nadia. I'm just a little tired."

"My father shouldn't have put you back on missions so soon."

"I'm ok, really."

Katie hid her face in Sydney's shoulder with the introduction of so many new people. She was terribly shy when it came to people she hadn't met before and this was no exception. She clung tightly to Sydney and began to lightly cry for her mother. Sydney began to hum gently to her to calm her down and Vaughn reached over and lightly tickled her sides, hoping to make her giggle. Their combined effort worked and slowly a smile returned to Katie's face.

Dixon was staring at Sydney and Vaughn knowingly. They reminded him very much of himself and Diane in the early years with their children. He knew that Sydney and Vaughn will one day make great parents.

"Did you get the Intel?" Dixon asked, putting his personal thoughts aside for a moment.

Vaughn glanced at the two detectives and decided that what they didn't know can't hurt them.

"No we didn't." He replied. "Agent Breslin was murdered before she could pass on the Intel." His eyes however, told a different story.

Dixon understood Vaughn's true meaning and nodded his head.

"We should get back to LA." Dixon said.

"Wait. What are you going to do with the little girl?" Weiss asked.

All eyes turned to Katie who was contently sucking her thumb. She stared right back at all of them innocently.

"We're taking her with us." Vaughn responded, holding up the diaper bag he had packed.

"You can't do that. We have to find next of kin or place her in social services." Detective Stabler interrupted.

Sydney glared at the detective.

"This little girl's life is in danger. The safest place for her to be is with the CIA. I can almost guarantee you will find no next of kin. Brigid was an agent; her family history is too well hidden."

Olivia and Elliot looked at each other and decided that Sydney was right, that the best course of action was to keep Katie with people who will keep her safe.

"Go. We will keep in touch with any information we find regarding the murder." Detective Benson said.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

The drive to La Guardia airport was a silent one. Katie had fallen asleep in the car seat they had picked up and none of the agents felt like discussing what happened until they were on the secure CIA plane. As they neared the airport, Weiss decided that the silence was too loud.

"Hey Mike. Do you know what's only twenty minutes away from here?"

"Umm no. What?"

"Nassau Coliseum. The Islanders are in town, we can go to a hockey game!"

"Eric, we have to get back to LA."

"Come on Mike, Islanders games are so much fun. All the crazy New York fans not the mention the dragon that comes down from the roof at the beginning! And laughing at the Catholic school kids that go to school across the turnpike! It's all too much fun!" Weiss said, his eyes glowing with childlike glee.

"Maybe some other time Weiss" Vaughn said rolling his eyes and exchanging a look with Sydney.

"Besides, you forgot to mention the best part of the game, the Zamboni." Sydney laughed.

Eric shot her a fake anger glare before turning to Nadia.

"One day we'll come out and see an Islander game together and leave Mr. and Mrs. Ancient Boredom at home."

All five agents broke out into laughter at Weiss's last comment as they pulled into the bustling airport. Dixon parked the car which would later be removed by another team of CIA agents. Katie had woke up and was determined to walk through the crowded airport by herself. Sydney clenched her hand tightly to prevent them from being separated as they walked through the crowded terminal. It was when Katie stopped to look at the clown who was performing did Vaughn intervene, sweeping a protesting toddler into his arms.

After they had boarded the CIA plane, Sydney strapped Katie into a seat for take off, making sure the child's ears were covered. She gave Katie the teddy to hold on to as the plane rose into the air. Katie squealed when she realized they were flying and was anxious to get out of her seat. She started to squirm and yelled "Down!" until Sydney undid her seatbelt.

Katie walked around the plane and found a toy box that had obviously been put there for her use. She pulled some toys out and sat on the plane's floor, getting lost in her imagination.

After making sure Katie was occupied, Sydney and the other agents began to discuss the murder of Agent Breslin and what she had told them. Vaughn unlatched a knife that he had around his ankle and carefully cut Katie's stuffed bear open along the seam. They were rewarded with a bunch of files and photographs.

"It looks like the Ring of Life is up to something." Dixon said as he read through one of the many well-documented reports. "I'll call Sloane."

* * *

I'm a Long Islander and an Islanders fan and yes the dragon does jump from the roof in the beginning. Also the Catholic school across from the Coliseum does exists, my aunt went there! 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Vaughn sighed in frustration as he tried to get a screw to fit into the wood. Sydney had ordered a crib to be delivered to her place by the time the plane returned to LA. After Katie had a brief check up with a CIA doctor, they had blown off the debrief in order to set up the crib and help get Katie settled in to her new home.

But instead of helping him with the crib, Sydney had gone off to play with Katie, leaving Vaughn to set up the crib. He smiled with satisfaction as the last piece slid in to place and placed the mattress in. He left new nursery room to go find Syd.

She was sitting on the floor with Katie in the den. The TV was on but Sydney was reading to Katie. The book was obviously a good one because it had Katie in peals of laughter.

"Syd, I finished the crib."

"Thanks Vaughn. Do you want to spend the night?" She replied, shooting him an innocent glance as she took a quick break from the story.

"Sure. I'm just going to head over the Eric's to grab a change of clothes and the likes."

"'K"

Sydney continued on with the story, finishing barely moments after Vaughn had left. Katie got off of her lap and grabbed another book excitedly.

"More!"

"No, Katie. I think you need a bath and then its bedtime."

Katie pouted. Sydney laughed and picked up the tiny girl.

"Let's go missy!"

Sydney carefully bathed the little girl in the tub. She was surprised at how naturally this came to her as if this is what she was destined to do all along. Katie splashed happily in the tub, managing to thoroughly soak the front of Sydney's shirt. But she didn't mind. Just seeing the smile on Katie's face made her forget any problems she was facing right now. It was just her and Katie. She took Katie out of the tub and toweled her off; grabbing a diaper and a pair of footie pajamas that Vaughn had packed back in New York. Katie took off like a bolt as soon as Sydney set her down. She ran giggling through the house clad only in a towel. Sydney chased after her pretending to be a monster until she finally caught the little girl. She laid her on the couch and began tickling her belly, while slipping the clothes on her.

"Having fun?" Vaughn asked from the hallway.

"Hey when did you get back?" Sydney said as Katie turned and waved at him.

"About the same time you turned into the Crayon Monster." He said walking over the couch and plopping down next to Katie.

"Oh" Sydney replied watching as Katie picked up Vaughn's hands to play peek-a-boo with him. "She really should be getting to bed."

"Ok" Vaughn said, handing Katie off to Syd.

She carried the little girl to the nursery, surprised to see that Vaughn had the foresight to put the sheets on and place Katie's bear, now file free, in the crib. Sydney tucked the little girl in and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"Ikey too" Katie said sleepily.

Vaughn obeyed the little girl's command, placing a kiss to the same spot Sydney had only moments before. He and Sydney stood in the room together for a few short minutes until Katie fell asleep. They slowly made their way out of the room back to the den.

"Your shirt is soaked Syd." Vaughn said.

"Katie got a little overzealous in the bath."

"You're absolutely amazing with her Sydney. A natural born mother."

"Do you think I would have been the same way with our baby?" Sydney said, the slightest hint of tears creeping into her eyes.

"Oh Syd." Vaughn pulled her into his arms. "You would and are going to be a great mother. It's actually quite remarkably considering what your mother was like. But Syd you're just so amazing the way you are with Katie. It's like you can read her mind and you know exactly what she wants."

"Thanks Vaughn. You know I could use some help getting this wet shirt off." Syd said devilishly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure" she whispered before leaning in to kiss him.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Marshall looked at all of the files on the Ring of Life that the other agents had brought back. It looked like another late night at the office. He picked up his phone to call home when one particular passage caught his eye. The phone dropped to the floor as Marshall sped from the room towards Sloane's office.

He bursted in the door, walking in on what appeared to be a private meeting between Jack Bristow and Sloane.

"Mr. Bristow, Mr. Sloane, it appears that well it's actually quite amazing, you see, I was looking at the files and then I was going to call home to say goodnight to Mitchell because he can't sleep—"

"Marshall. What is it?" Sloane interrupted.

"Well the Ring of Life is also interested in Rambaldi. But not just that. They mention Syd, I mean Agent Bristow, Jr., that is, not you Agent Bristow and they had plans to kidnap her which looked like they apparently failed. But then they seemed to have found a second prophecy about a child. And they believed that this child was not, as they put it "blood-related" to her, but close to her in some way. They want to kidnap both the child and Syd."

"Do you think that the child they are talking about is Katie Breslin?" Jack asked.

"I think that's right Mr. Bristow. I mean, Syd isn't exactly close to children, being a spy and all—o God. What if it's Mitchell? I'm going to call Carrie and tell her to move him to a safe house…"

"Marshall, I am positive that it is not Mitchell they are referring too, thank you for this information." Sloane said, motioning for Marshall to leave the room. "Jack, I'll contact the CIA to assign agents to watch Sydney's house. Call her and let her know what Marshall found. Make sure she's aware of the danger."

Jack nodded and left the room to call his daughter.

"Hello?" A sleepy male voice answered the phone.

Jack's fatherly instincts kicked in as he recognized Agent Vaughn's voice.

"Agent Vaughn. It's Jack Bristow. I need to speak with my daughter."

"Oh. Ok"

Jack waited and heard the conversation between his daughter and Vaughn. Vaughn obviously hadn't thought to cover the phone.

"Syd wake up."

"Mmmmmm. Too early Vaughn."

"Syd."

"I'm tired; you wore me out last night."

"Syd your father's on the phone."

"Tell him I'll call him later, I'm tired."

"Syd take the phone."

"You are so not getting any tomorrow night…Hello?"

"Hello Sydney."

"Dad can we talk later. I'm tired."

"So I heard."

"Oh."

"Look Sydney. The Ring of Life may be after you and Katie."

"What? Why?"

"I'll explain everything tomorrow. Just stay alert okay?"

"Okay Dad. Goodnight."

"And tell Agent Vaughn that I want to talk to him tomorrow. Goodnight Syd."


	10. Chapter 10

Okay I am probably going to get taken out and shot but this is the last chapter that you'll be getting for a month. I'm going home for Christmas break and won't have time to finish writing this fic while I'm at home. The minute I get back to school I will hop on this fic and update it. Same goes for my other fic Love Heals.

* * *

Chapter Ten

Vaughn waited nervously in Jack Bristow's office, praying that he wouldn't get shot. He shudder involuntary as he remembered what Sydney had said to him last night.

0 0 0 Flashback 0 0 0

"Idiot." Sydney hissed after hanging up the phone and punching Vaughn in the arm.

"Ow. What was that for?"

"Good job on covering the phone, my father heard our whole conversation."

"Shit."

"Exactly and now he wants to meet with you tomorrow."

"Oh God no. Syd. He's going to kill me." Vaughn whined.

"Well maybe if you had covered the phone, you wouldn't be in this mess."

0 0 0 end flashback 0 0 0

He hadn't slept anymore after the conversation. Vaughn feared for his life when it came to Jack Bristow. He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice when Jack came into the office.

"Agent Vaughn."

"Jack."

"Now assuming from the conversation we had before you went on the mission and the conversation that happened last night, it is safe to assume that you and my daughter are back together."

"We are."

"Good. If you ever hurt her like that again I will kill you in the most painful way imaginable. I know plenty of places where I can bury your body so deep, they will never find it. Are we clear?"

"Crystal."

"And also, I would rather not be subject to the details of your intimate relationship. Consider that you're only warning. You can go now."

Vaughn left the office slightly worried. There was nothing like a little angry Jack Bristow to start your morning. He looked up to see Sydney making her way over to him. They had taken Katie to the office that morning, convinced it was the safest place for her. After the CIA sanctioned babysitter had arrived at the office, Sydney left to do some work and Vaughn had gone to his meeting with Jack.

"Well he didn't shoot you."

"No but he did threaten my life."

"That's nothing new." Sydney laughed seeing how clearly shook up her fiancé was. "Don't worry Vaughn. He's just overprotective. I'm almost positive he won't carry out on it."

"Very funny Syd. When I wind up dead in a ditch somewhere, you know who to blame."

"I won't let them arrest my own father Vaughn."

"Traitor."

Sydney stuck at her tongue at him and made her way to the conference room. Sloane had been furious at them for blowing off the meeting last night and demanded that they come to another meeting this morning.

"Morning Syd."

"Hey Nadia. Where were you last night?"

"Oh. I spent the night at Eric's. But I wouldn't recommend you talk to him. He's pissed at you and Vaughn for not coming last night and making us sit through another meeting this morning."

"So what did you and Eric do last night?" Sydney asked smiling at her sister.

As Nadia launched into a very detailed description of Weiss's boxers, the rest of the group filed in. Vaughn took his seat next to Syd and Eric plopped down next to Nadia, glowering angrily in the direction of Syd and Vaughn and occasionally blushing as Nadia splurged more details to her sister.

"Good morning, everyone." Sloane said, greeting the agents. "Last night Marshall decoded a part of the files to discover that the Ring of Life also follows Rambaldi and is following some obscure prophecy that deals with the Chosen One and the child that is not hers…"

"So basically me and Katie?" Sydney interrupted.

"Yes. Ms Breslin must have realized that they were talking about Katie from the references to her in the files that she gave us. That's probably why she called for extraction to keep her daughter safe."

"So why didn't they take the child when they killed Brigid?" Vaughn asked.

"We don't know Agent Vaughn." Sloane answered.

"How come we haven't heard of this Rambaldi prophecy before?" Nadia asked.

"And I thought Rambaldi only dealt with Irina's daughters, does this mean that Agent Breslin was related to Syd and Nadia?" Weiss added on.

"No, Agent Weiss. Rambaldi deals with everything. And Nadia, I have heard of this prophecy before, but I believed it to be false." Sloane continued.

"Well obviously the Ring of Life doesn't believe this and now Sydney and Katie are in danger." Vaughn snapped.

"We're taken measures to protect the safety of my daughter and the child." Jack replied, shooting Vaughn an icy glare.

"But for now, all we can do is wait. The Ring of Life is bound to make a move sometime and that is the best time to bring them down. Meeting's over." Sloane said, gathering the files and leaving the room.

"Do you want to go visit Katie with me? I'm sure she misses her Ikey." Syd asked Vaughn.

"Sure." He replied before leaning in the brush a kiss to her lips. The sound of Jack clearing his throat made him pull back and glance guilty at the death stare Jack was giving him. Sydney laughed and grabbed Vaughn's hand. She pulled him out of the room to another room that had been turned into a daycare for the day. It had various children toys and what looked like some of Marshall's inventions in the room. A young woman of about 25 was playing with Katie.

"Hi Agent Bristow." She said straighten up.

"Vaughn this is Agent Nirce. Her husband is also an agent and she ran a daycare center back at their old office."

"My son's five now and he goes to kindergarten so mainly I just do analysis. But then they called and asked me if I wouldn't mind watching this little sweetheart." Agent Nirce said.

"Nice to met you. I hope Katie didn't give you any trouble."

"Not at all. Would you excuse me for a minute? I have to make a phone call." The agent asked.

"Sure we can watch Katie for a few minutes." Sydney said smiling as the other woman left the room.

Vaughn and Sydney made their way over to Katie who was playing with a toy train. She looked up as they made way to her and started to smile. Vaughn and Sydney crouched down on either side of her ready to play when the lights went out in the APO office and an explosion rocked through the building.

* * *

Runs and hides.


	11. Chapter 11: What Happened to His Heart?

Here it is people enjoy! I updated Love Heals too.

* * *

Chapter Eleven: What Happened to His Heart?

The explosion startled both Sydney and Vaughn, throwing them off balance and striking a similar fear in both of them. APO had been breeched. What if it was the Ring of Life trying to abduct Katie? Neither had time to think, only to act. Sydney scooped up a frightened Katie and Vaughn led them hastily from the room, under the eerie glow of the backup lights. Vaughn could just hear the last of the steel doors slamming shut, cutting off the outside world. The only problem with that was it could effectively seal their enemies inside with them. Neither Sydney nor Vaughn heard any combat going on as they made their way to the central office. But then the distinct sound of gunfire echoed through the hall.

"Sydney, take Katie and barricade yourself in an office. I'm going to help the others."

"Be careful."

Sydney watched as Vaughn ran down the hallway, gun drawn. He glanced back only once. Following his advice, Sydney found the nearest office. She locked the door and flipped over the desk pushing it against the door. Then she turned to Katie who was clearly confused and crying. Sydney picked her up trying to comfort her.

"It's going to be okay, Katie. Don't worry dear. I'm going to take care of you."

0 BACK IN NEW YORK 0

Elliot sat at his desk frustrated. It was the week from hell. They had no new leads on any of their cases and some rapist just got off scot free. And then there was the Brigid Breslin case. The New York CIA office had seized all their case information and left with a nod. The media was going crazy about the unsolved murder and was accusing the NYPD of being slow, boorish, overpaid, and extremely inadequate.

"Elliot we may have stumbled across something on the Breslin case." Olivia said, interrupting his thoughts. "There's a petty thief who the cops just picked up for stealing a radio out of a car. He wants us to let him go in exchange for information about Brigid's death. He claims he was in front of her apartment building that day waiting for a friend."

Elliot hurried to the room where the guy was being held with Olivia right on his heels. This could be the big break they had been waiting for or just a big bust. There was only one way to find out.

The witness wasn't very impressive, grungy and sallow. He had the looks of someone who had a bad addiction to sex, alcohol, drugs, or some other worldly good. Beneath his muddy eyes dwelled no intelligence, reassuring Elliot that a lie might be too complicated for this guy, that what he told them might actually be the truth.

"Hey there detective. Name's Chuck Vack. I'll tell you what I know for imnesty from my crimes."

"The word's _amnesty, _Chuck and it all depends on what you tell us." Elliot responded.

"I was outside that girl's building the day she was murdered, waiting for a friend. And I see these two big guys, looking all Vin Diesel and all. Now these men, one of them had a knife. The other one might have one, but I only saw one of them. And I minding my own little business and I see them go into this little alleyway next to the building. I just figured they were doing weed you know. Then this pretty little lady and her kid came walking down the street qand went into the brownstone. And after about five minutes, the men come out of the alleyway and go into the place too. They didn't knock or anything, figured they knew the girl and wanted to surprise her. So I'm still waiting for my friend and these Vin Diesels come out again and I swear on my mother's grave that one of them was wiping blood off of their hands. Well I knew right then they must have done something to that girly."

"That's not good enough Chuck. It makes it seem as though you were the one who murdered Ms. Breslin." Elliot said.

"I'm not finished. One of the guys says to the other call Sloane and tell him the kid wasn't there. Now I know pretty much all of the bosses around these parts and I've never heard of Sloane. So I decided my friend's aint worth waiting for anymore so I get out of there lickety split and tells some kid to call 911 on a payphone, on account of me not being so friendly with the cops."

"They called Sloane?" Olivia asked.

"Yeah."

"We need to get Agents Vaughn and Bristow on the phone." Elliot said to Olivia

"Hey detectives. Do I get my imnesty?"

0 Back in LA 0

By the time Vaughn reached the central office the gunfire had ceased. Dixon, Weiss, Nadia and Jack were all standing over the body of a lone shooter.

"There was only one?" Vaughn asked.

"Yeah. Maybe the others got stuck outside." Weiss replied.

"Uh guys, you've got to come see this." Marshall cut in.

They all followed him back to his office were the outside of APO was displayed on the screens.

"Okay. I polled up outside surveillance, no one's there. It's not like they all left or went to get coffee or something. I rewinded the tapes to the time of the attack and still no one."

"The attack came from the inside?" Jack questioned.

"As far as I can figure yes." Marshall replied nervously.

Vaughn looked around the room and out to the adjoining rooms. As his cell phone began to ring, it dawned on him.

"Where's Sloane?"

0 0 0

Sydney was playing patty cake with Katie on the floor of the office, keeping one eye on the door. Nobody could get in without her seeing them. It startled her when her cell phone began to ring.

"Hello?"

"Agent Bristow this is Detective Benson. We have a lead on the Breslin case."

Sydney opened her mouth to respond only to feel a damp cloth cover her mouth and nose. She slipped into unconsciousness, but not before she recognized who did this to her.

Sloane.

* * *

Now you all want to review right? 


	12. Chapter 12: To No absolute

Thanks for all the reviews! I really appreciate them!

* * *

Chapter Twelve: To No Absolute.

His phone was still ringing like crazy but Vaughn didn't answer it. They were all still in Marshall's office, still with disbelief at what they had just realized. It had been an inside job, it had been Sloane. Vaughn felt anger welling up inside of him at how blind he had been, how blind they all had been. Sydney…

"Where's Sydney?" Jack asked interrupting his thoughts.

"She barricaded herself in an office with Katie. We thought it would be safest. No one could get in the office without her seeing them." Vaughn answered as his phone went off yet a second time.

"Unless the person knew a back way in. Sloane could have secret passageways set up to move from office to office." Marshall suggested.

Vaughn couldn't ignore the ringing phone any longer.

"Hello?"

"Agent Vaughn this is Detective Stabler. An eyewitness has come forward and claims that the men who murdered Ms. Breslin placed a call to a man named Sloane. I remember reading in a file that Sloane worked with you."

"Yeah. He does. We just managed to figure out he betrayed us too."

"Also. Detective Benson just called Agent Bristow. She said that she was talking to her when all of the sudden Agent Bristow stopped answering her. She heard a baby crying and then sounds of something being dragged."

"Oh my God."

Vaughn hung up his phone and spun around yelling for the others to follow him. He raced back to were he left Sydney, gun drawn, and with the help of Weiss and Jack, opened the door.

The room was empty, no signs of Sydney or Katie ever being there.

"The bastard took them!" Vaughn said.

"But where? We're locked down, no one can get out. We would have noticed Sloane dragging Sydney or the baby through the halls." Nadia pointed out.

"Unless he knows another way." Jack pointed out. "Marshall, can you run scans of the building from your office? Look for hollow spaces that could indicate passages or rooms that we don't know about."

"Yeah. I can do that." Marshall replied.

"Agent Weiss get Langley on the phone. Tell them what happened. See if we can't get a back up team here soon." Jack continued.

"Nadia and Vaughn, check the computer, archives, or anything for more about this prophecy. Let's find out what he's planning on doing with Syd and Katie."

Vaughn complied with Jack's orders, feeling rather helpless. He would kill Sloane if he hurt Syd or Katie.

0 0 0 0

Sydney woke up in some unfamiliar room. She was lying on a cot, not a particular comfortable one. The last few seconds before she blacked out came rushing back to her.

Sloane.

He had drugged her. He more than likely wanted to fulfill that stupid Rambaldi prophecy himself. Sydney started to feel a growing sense of dread. What if the Ring of Life was just a cover-up? What if Sloane had just invented that threat to set the prophecy in motion? He would have known that the CIA would place an undercover operative in the front company. What if Sloane had killed Brigid only to get Katie here in LA.?

Sydney all of the sudden felt sick to her stomach. Finding an empty bucket under the bed, she emptied the contents of her stomach. Laying back she scanned the room. It was small with no windows and one light hanging from the ceiling. Katie was not in the room with her. The door was heavy steel and there was nothing in the room besides the cot. Nothing to help her escape.

The door swung opened and Sloane walked in, smiling his creepy smile.

"Ah Sydney your finally up."

"Where's Katie?"

"She's safe, don't worry about her."

"Where am I?"

"Do you really think I would answer that?"

"My father and Vaughn are going to figure out it was you Sloane. They'll find you. And you know what my father does when he's mad."

"Sydney, by the time they find me it will be too late. Don't worry. I'm not going to kill you. The prophecy only calls for some of your blood. You will be safe and sound and can go marry Agent Vaughn when it's all over."

"What about Katie?"

"Well unfortunately the prophecy calls for the sacrifice of her life."

"You're a monster. You would kill an innocent child just to fulfill some stupid prophecy?"

"Yes."

With that Sloane left, the steel door closing ominously behind him.

He was going to kill Katie.

She had to stop him. But she had no way. She was stuck in this room with no way to contact anyone. As far as she knew, the others might not know she's even missing. Sydney's thoughts wandered to her sister. Poor Nadia. She's going to be absolutely devastated when she finds out Sloane is behind this all. She just wanted him to be a real father to her, not some Rambaldi addict.

0 0 0 0

Marshall was busy scanning the building and comparing it to the blueprints. So far he found six passageways that lead between offices that weren't on the blueprints. It appeared as if these hallways were in the walls themselves. His computer beeped and he looked up for the results. His mouth dropped in surprise. There was a huge room underneath the whole office space. That definitely wasn't on the blueprints. Marshall stuck his head out of his office and called for the others to come quickly. He had found where Sloane had taken Sydney and Katie.

* * *

Dun, dun, dun... 


	13. Chapter 13: How to Save a Life

Hello anyone who still cares enough to read this fic. I am back. Hopefully I haven't lost too many of my faithful reviewers because I was doing so well there. I am truly, deeply sorry about my long absence. Please accept my heartfelt apologies.

Chapter 13- How to Save a Life

Sydney put all her force behind the cot as she banged it constantly into the door, hoping for a little give, but knowing it was pointless. She couldn't give up, not when Katie's life was at stake. Again and again the steel of the cot and the steel of the door collided with a taunting ring. Syd was in hot water here, she had no clue how to proceed. She began to pray that the others could figure out what was going on and stop Sloane. Her strength was failing her; she was tiring out from trying to escape. Syd gave the door one last hearty bang before dropping the cot entirely. She now hoped that she had made just enough noise to lead Vaughn and the others to her position. The door opened and that momentary glitter of hoped faded.

"That was pointless Sydney, you just tired yourself out. This whole area is completely sound proof."

"What is this going to do Sloane? What is killing Katie going to give you?"

"Ah dear that's need to know information and fortunately you don't need to know it. Now come along. Don't try anything. I have men who have orders to kill Katie if you walk out there alone or if I'm in distress."

"What about Nadia?"

Sloane visibly stiffened as Sydney noted the results of her words.

"I'm not hurting her Sydney. She will forgive me, just as you will."

"No, I don't think anyone could forgive you after this."

"You forgave me after I had Danny killed. You found my daughter for me."

"No Sloane. I found my sister for me."

"Well we can argue this point until the end of the world but we have a schedule to keep, now if you please follow me from the room, I wouldn't want you to go first and my men get a little gun happy."

"Just humor me for one more second?"

"Yes?"

"Did you have Agent Breslin killed?"

"Yes."

"You bastard."

"I believe we already determined that Sydney. Now stop stalling."

Sydney followed him from the room into the big circular central room. The room was sterile in every sense of the world. Plain and white, it was empty save a large stainless steel table. Sloane led her to the table and motioned her to sit. As she climbed up on the table she noted the strange slope of the table and the lip around the edge that funneled out under the table into a jar with weird etchings on it. Syd didn't have the heart to ask what that was for, as Katie was brought out and placed next to her. Syd quickly examined the sleeping child, relieved to see that she was not physically harmed.

"What happens next?" she asked noting the positions of the five guards.

"We have to bleed Katie. And you get about a pint of blood taking out. Not too much because your blood is very important Sydney and we can't be wasting it. But Katie on the other hand, well her blood is quite useless unless yours interacts with it."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Marshall pulled up the scan results and showed it to the other agents.

"Sloane has six entry points into these six different hallways, but only two of the hallways actually connect to the underground chamber, these two."

"Sonofabitch." Jack said. "He shaped it like the Rambaldi eye. How did we miss this?"

"I get the feeling we were never supposed to see this." Marshall answered.

"Can you tell what the security is like?" Vaughn asked.

"Well from the looks of the scan, big thick doors. And bodily wise the heat scan shows seven adults, one child. Also as far as I can tell, it's all soundproof."

"So we're really not sure?" Jack implied.

"Yea. But the room Sydney was taking from is the entry to one of the passages that led directly to the room."

"So we'll start from there." Vaughn said.

Jack, Nadia, Weiss, Dixon and Vaughn all geared up and may way to the office where Sydney was taken. They scoured the room, and finally Dixon pulled back a panel to reveal a keypad.

"Anyone know the code?" Dixon asked.

Nadia grabbed a cell phone out of her bag and hotwired it to the keypad.

"It decodes the code. Marshall invented it." She explained aware of the stares she was getting.

The door clicked open, and they all made their way down the gray hallway.

"Okay guys," Marshall interrupted. "You go another five hundred feet and you should reach another door."

There was a keypad at that door too and Nadia repeated her actions. The door slid opened and revealed four very menacing men with guns.

"Drop all your weapons." Sloane's voice rang out.

As they complied they were led further into the room, and the site before them unfolded. Sydney and Katie were up on a table and it looked like Sydney was giving blood. Katie was asleep and appeared unharmed.

"I would advise that none of you make a move unless you wish to see Sydney die. I also want to congratulate you all on making it down here. I expected you all much later. But I guess I really did handpick the best CIA agents."

"What are you doing?" Nadia asked.

"I am making sure that my legacy is secure on this earth Nadia. Don't worry I am almost down with Sydney, I'm not going to kill her."

"What about Katie?" Vaughn asked, angry.

"She has to die. What does it matter to any of you? She is no one."

"She's a child!" Vaughn exclaimed.

"None of you understand do you? Would you all prefer that I kill Sydney and let the girl live? Tell me honestly that you would rather see Sydney die, then the child?"

"Sloane—"

"Make your choice. Sydney or the child."


	14. Chapter 14: Why Don't You Just Drop Dead

Thank you all of my loyal readers who are still out there. I hope that last chapter didn't disappoint! To any new people: welcome to the insanity that is my mind! Wanna know more? Go to my profile check it out, read my other stories, enjoy yourself! And please review people, I enjoy that tingly feeling I get inside if someone makes a comment on my writing. Tingly feelingquicker updates! Sorry for incredibly short update but I promise you'll get a super long chapter next time. It's just that I needed this to go somewhere and it only worked as an individual chapter.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Chapter 14- Why Don't You Just Drop Dead

"_What about Katie?" Vaughn asked, angry._

_"She has to die. What does it matter to any of you? She is no one."_

_"She's a child!" Vaughn exclaimed._

_"None of you understand do you? Would you all prefer that I kill Sydney and let the girl live? Tell me honestly that you would rather see Sydney die, then the child?"_

_"Sloane—"_

_"Make your choice. Sydney or the child." _

There was absolute silence after Sloane posed the question and commanded them to play God. Who were they to decide who lived and who died? There could be no winners; if they picked Katie, they would lose a sister, a daughter, a friend, a lover. If they picked Syd an innocent child would die at the hands of a madman. Either way, they would release the very evil onto the world that they had once tried to stop. The evil had deceived them all into believing he had changed, into letting him guide them, where is intentions had been to led them astray, to destroy them.

Vaughn was torn inside. He could not send Sydney to her death; he would die if he lost her again. But he also couldn't turn his back on Katie. He and Syd had fallen so in love with the little girl. They were going to adopt her. She was going to be theirs.

No one else had said anything, none of them brave enough to play God. Vaughn glanced at Jack who looked ready to bite Sloane's head off. A vein was throbbing in his neck, a vein Vaughn knew all to well, it had throbbed often when Jack yelled at him.

"Make your choice." He repeated again, taking pleasure in the internal struggles that were going on around him. He pulled the needle out of Sydney's arm, checking to make sure he had enough of her blood in the bag.

Sydney started assessing possible ways to escape, getting both her and Katie out of there alive along with the rest of the group. It looked hopeless. It was possible for her to grab Katie and run but they all wouldn't be able to escape by the time the guards gained control of their guns. In her minds eye, she saw them all falling in a hail of bullets. She knew the others would never make the choice on whose life to save, so Sydney decided to take matters in her own hands.

"If they do decide, do you swear that the other one will go unharmed?" Sydney asked.

"Yes. I swear on my daughter's life." Sloane answered.

"Don't swear on my life." Nadia glowered. "As far as I'm concern you and I are through. I am ashamed to even think that I might be related to you.

"Alright, then you may kill me if I do not let the other person go. Here, I'll even give Vaughn his gun back so he can shoot me if I break my word. But not a moment before." He warned as he handed the gun back to Vaughn.

"Then they choose me to die." Sydney replied. Sloane turned around to face her, relying on the guards to keep the intruders under control.

"You know Sydney, you always had one little fault and it was your nobility. You were given the chance to do absolutely amazing things, but you refused because they hurt other people. And here I am, offering the chance to live and run off into the sunset with your knight in shining armor, but you through it away to save a child who has no family in this world, no place in this world. I offer you eternal life, you give it up. Sydney it's getting too hard for me to protect you. I always saw myself as a father figure to you—

"I don't need a father figure, I have a father."

"Please don't interrupt. When you insist on doing terribly noble things like this I find it harder and harder to you protect each time. Indeed it's becoming an annoyance. Sydney you have so much potential still. Do you really want to through it away? You can get married, you can lead a long life, and you can make sure your father doesn't have to bury his only child again. I know your mother would be absolutely distraught if she found out you died. You see Sydney; I'm giving you one more chance for life. Do you want to take?"

Sydney didn't hesitate with her answer.

"Sloane have you seen the movie 'The Incredibles'? Obviously not. There is a part, in this child's movie mind you, when a hero talks about how a villain captured him and was about to destroy him, when the villain starts to monologue. And the hero is able to escape during his monologue. Do you know what lesson that teaches?"

"That good over comes evil and that villains are full of themselves? Really Sydney, I don't see the point of your little story. I take it you want you to die so little Katie can watch this movie when she's older and understand why Sydney died?"

"No it teaches you not to do a monologue when your back is turned on a bunch of CIA agents." Vaughn said from behind Sloane, pressing his gun none to gently into Sloane's ribs.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Reviews are appreciated! Disclaimer: I do not own the Incredibles, its ideas or plot. That all belongs to Pixar and Disney.


	15. Chapter 15: Cars on a Cable

I realize at this point I have lost a lot of my loyal readers, but thank you to anyone who has given this a chance. Once again, welcome to any new people you are to shy to review; I know you're out there! Don't be afraid, even if you want to criticize something. I won't bite! Promise!

Chapter 15- Cars on a Cable

"_No it teaches you not to do a monologue when your back is turned on a bunch of CIA agents." Vaughn said from behind Sloane, pressing his gun none too gently into Sloane's ribs._

When Sloane turned his back, Jack, Dixon, Vaughn, and Weiss managed to silently take out the guards. Nadia retrieved their weapons and Vaughn made his move on Sloane, effectively putting an end to the pompous speech they had been forced to listen to. Jack whipped out a pair of handcuffs and placed Sloane in them harshly (A/N: Sorry. I am so sorry. Mind get out of gutter).

"You can't do this to me; I have to fulfill the prophecy." Sloane raved.

Nadia cold cocked him with no trace of emotion on her face.

"Oops."

"Great now someone has to carry him back up to the office." Weiss joked.

"Or we could just drag him." Dixon suggested.

"Yeah, dragging sounds good, real good. Can we take him outside and drag him over a few stones?" Sydney asked, rubbing her arm where he had taken blood.

Dixon and Weiss began to drag the unconscious Sloane away, followed by Nadia who kept a gun trained on Sloane the entire time. Vaughn went to the table and picked the still sleeping Katie up before turning to Sydney.

"She looks okay…are you okay Syd?"

"Yeah. Just a normal Rambaldi crazed day, it's like every day in my life. Learn Sloane's bad, stopped Sloane, almost die, don't die, only thing that's missing out is my mother…and running in absurdly high heels from someone."

"Syd. Seriously."

"I'll be fine Vaughn." She said sliding of the table. "I'll probably end up with a bruise. But what about Katie?"

"I think Sloane only drugged her." Vaughn answered. Indeed the child in his arms and been sleeping with an unnatural peace.

"We'll have the doctor check her out. Then we can place her with a sanctioned family, one that is already in witness protection." Jack said reaching to take Katie from Vaughn.

"No Dad. You're not taking her from me!" Sydney said, grabbing Katie from Vaughn. "We're going to adopt her. She's going to become part of this family."

"Sydney, I'm well aware of the loss you recently suffered. But what kind of life can you give Katie? God forbid something happens. Do you really want Katie to grow up like you and Vaughn did? Jack argued.

"I'll quit."

"I'll quit too." Vaughn said. "Sydney and I have become so attached to Katie. We're not going to give her up Jack.

"Do you know how incredibly selfish you two are being? Even if you do quit, people will still come after you. Don't you think I wanted to quit after you were born, after Irina had left? I tried, God knows I tired, but I couldn't do it. Vaughn and you won't be able to do it either."

"Why won't we Dad? What do we still have to work for? I was going to quit after Sloane was brought down. Well it seems he seemed pretty down a few seconds ago."

"There's no reason for me to still be in the CIA anymore either. I don't want a life of lies anymore." Vaughn added

"So Dad, why won't we be able to do it? Why won't Vaughn and I make good parents? I'm positive neither of us is going to turn out to be a Russian spy."

"Sydney—

"We're keeping Katie, Dad, and you can consider this our official resignation."

Sydney and Vaughn turned and left, with Katie, leaving Jack alone. They arrived in the main office to find that Marshall managed to open several of the doors that led outside. Vaughn took Katie as Syd went to get her bag and let Nadia know to meet them at the house later. Without a backwards glance, Syd and Vaughn left the office, breathing a sigh of relief.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

It wasn't until they got home that Sydney broke down. They had put Katie in her crib and tucked her in. As they stood there watching her, Sydney began to cry, something she rarely did, but the events of the last week had just been too much. Vaughn led her into the living room and sat with her on the couch, letting her cry. When Sydney's tears finally slowed, she began to speak to Vaughn.

"I'm sorry. It's just…ugh hormones."

"Syd it's not just hormones. Talk. I'll listen."

"This past week has been, well not exactly one of my better ones. Some little girl lost her mother, her only relative in the world. And I can't help to wonder if my father's right. Will I be a good mother? When time comes to tell Katie what happened to her mother, what are we going to say? When we tell her the truth will she become so bent on revenge like us? And then there's Nadia. I know she tried so hard to believe her father was good. She is going to be so upset about this. She trusted him so much, believed that he had changed and then he goes and kills all her trust in him. While I was sort of expecting something like this to happen, part of me didn't want it to happen because of my love for Nadia. And then there's you and I. I appreciate what you said about quitting, but I can't help wondering if we will miss that life, if we will be able to know any other life besides it. Vaughn, we have spent a good portion of our life lying and being lied to, I don't want Katie to experience that."

"She won't Sydney. You'll be a great mother; you have no reason to doubt your parenting abilities. You were forced to be your own mother when you were younger and you did a great job. There is no reason you won't be a good mother. No one could tell if Katie will want revenge, maybe it's just our natures that urged us to seek answers. We'll just have to make it up as we go along. We can do this Syd, I know we can."

They were interrupted by a loud wail that came from the nursery. Worried, they jumped to their feet and raced in to find Katie standing in her crib, her face bright red. Sydney lifted her out and tried to comfort the screaming child.

"Katie's what wrong don't cry honey, you're home."

"Does she need to be change?" Vaughn asked hovering behind Sydney, stroking Katie's head.

"No she doesn't feel wet. Hush Katie, you're home now, you're with Ikey and D-Nee now baby."

Katie continued to cry but it weakened as she slowly realized her surroundings. Finally she stopped all together, looking through moist eyes at Sydney and Vaughn. She smiled, lighting up her whole face and she began to giggle.

Syd gave her a little hug and carried her to the kitchen with Vaughn trailing behind.

"I think it's time for us to have a little dinner." Sydney announced placing Katie in a new high chair.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Nadia and Weiss arrived shortly before nine while Syd and Vaughn were reading a story to Katie. At the sight of her sister, Syd pulled her into a tight hug.

"Are you ok Nadia?"

"Not right now. But I will be soon. I promise." She answered with tears in her eyes.

"So I heard you two quit." Weiss said to Vaughn.

"Yeah. We're going to adopt Katie. We don't want to raise a child living that kind of life."

"Jack was pretty pissed. Took it out on us for about three and a half hours."

"Sorry dude."

"So do you guys want to hear what we found?' Nadia asked sitting down with Weiss on a couch.

"No. Let's have a happy evening for once." Sydney replied pulling Katie onto her lap. "Let's pretend we're normal."

One more chapter. It's kind of sad to finish this story because it really was a gift to a reviewer who suggested it. But I don't think she reads anymore and it upsets me that she never got to see how it ends.

Oh, does anyone watch Victor Garber's new show Justice it's on Fox at 9 EST right after bones? Because seriously, it does wonders for me when I'm really craving a little Spy Daddy and it's a good show. Also Weiss has a show coming out called Heroes on NBC. Not sure of the time for that, but when I found out he was on it (saw the ad on the internet) I was in a library and I jumped up and said "omigod it's Weiss!" I got some weird stares indeed. People just don't understand the love we have for these characters, do they?


	16. Chapter 16: As Loving Goes

Final Chapter. Lots of tears at this point because, I kinda don't want it to end, but if I keep on writing you'll get word long chapters that suck and don't make any sense. I feel as though my stories really have a mind of their own and they tell me when a good time to end them is.

**Mandi**: I saw a commercial for Brothers and Sisters when I was watching a Grey's Anatomy repeat and was just like EVIL SLOANE! And Tom. Poor Tom.

I wanted to add this chapter as an anniversary present for my first year at which occured Sept 15. Unfortunatley my internet was down until now, so happy anniversary to me!

* * *

Chapter 16- As Loving Go

Sydney opened the door to find Nadia and Eric standing on the steps. They were arguing about something.

"Syd. Tell Eric that there absolutely has to be a floral arrangement at every table during the reception."

"She's right." Syd said stepping aside and letting them entered. Since they had gotten engaged a week ago, there was a constant battle raging over simple wedding details.

"That's bull. You and Vaughn didn't have floral arrangements at your wedding." Weiss argued.

"Yes we did! It was a three tier centerpiece with roses, Casablanca lilies, and vinca ivy!"

"Uncle Eric, Aunt Nadia!" Katie came running into the foyer, wearing a blue party dress.

"Hey happy birthday squirt!" Weiss said, messing up her hair.

Nadia handed her a present and gave the little girl a hug. "Happy fourth birthday, Katie. You're getting so big."

"Oh it's your fourth birthday? I guess that means someone gets birthday tickles." Weiss exclaimed.

"NO!" She squealed happily running away, with Weiss chasing her.

"So it's just us and Jack right?" Nadia asked as they made their way into the living room.

"Yeah. Just immediate family. So have you seen any wedding dresses?"

"If I had you would have been down at the store with me. I'm not picking it out without you."

The sisters continue chatting as Vaughn entered the room, carrying one year old Emma.

"Hi Nadia. I thought I heard you and Weiss."

"Hey. Hi Emma. You want to come to me?" Nadia held out her arms to receive the baby. "Are you two going to have any more?"

"Why?" Syd asked.

"Well I need someone's kids to practice with before I have my own."

The doorbell rang and Vaughn left to get it, pressing a kiss to Syd's hairline.

"How's work?" Nadia asked.

"Oh it's good. Tenth grade English isn't that difficult. In fact the worse part is putting up with the girls who insist on gossiping during class. Can you believe that they were having a discussion the other day over whose butt was hotter, Vaughn's or Mr. Dar the other French teacher there?"

"Who won?" Nadia asked smiling.

"Dar was going strong there for awhile, but my vote really swung the whole thing to Vaughn."

Nadia laughed and Emma echoed her laugh flashing the sisters her set of dimples.

"Oh. She is so adorable." Nadia said giving her niece a hug. "How does she like daycare?"

"She loves it. I hate to be away from her. Especially now that Katie is at school, I get worried that she might get lonely."

"Grandpa's here!" Katie announced strolling in leading Jack by the hand. They were followed by Weiss and Vaughn.

"Hi Dad…Eric what happened to your eye?"

He looked extremely embarrassed as Katie turned away looking guilty and Vaughn was trying to hold back laughter.

"I accidentally kicked him in the eye when he was tickling me. I'm sorry mommy." Katie said.

The whole room burst out in laughter with the exception of Weiss.

"Hey this isn't funny! Geez did you guys sign her up for karate or something? She can kick harder than I can!" He exclaimed covering the blacked eye with his hand.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"That was amazing Sydney" Jack complimented. The rest of the guests nodded in approval.

"Just let me clean up and I'll bring out the cake." Sydney said rising from the table. With Vaughn's help she managed to get the table cleared and set for cake in about fifteen minutes.

"Michael, can you put the candles on while I clean off Emma?"

"Sure Syd."

She went into the dining room and plucked Emma from her chair caring the messy baby back into the kitchen.

"Ugh she has peas in her hair again, how do you always managed to get peas in your hair miss?" Syd commented, wetting a cloth underneath the faucet and cleaning off the baby.

"Syd?"

"Yea?"

"Can you believe it's been almost three years since we found Katie?"

"No. God so much has changed. I never expected us to have Emma, after I miscarried that very first time."

"Are you happy, honey?"

"Why wouldn't I be happy? I have two adorable little girls, a perfect house, a great job, oh and a not so bad husband."

"Not so bad?"

"Extraordinary?"

"That's more like it."

Syd laughed and finished wiping Emma off.

"Okay let's get that cake inside before they wonder what happen to us. "

Vaughn lit the candles and Sydney went back into the dining room to turn off the lights and placed Emma in her chair. Katie sat at the head of the table and smiled with joy when her cake came out. They sang happy birthday to her, and her blue eyes were momentarily lighted by the flames before she blew them out in one breath.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

After Weiss, Nadia, and Jack had left, they had all collapsed in the living room. Katie was eagerly opening presents while Syd and Vaughn watched form the couch. Emma had been playing with the wrapping paper but had fallen asleep quickly and laid on a blanket on the floor sound asleep.

"Mommy, Daddy this was a good birthday." Katie said, climbing on to the couch with Sydney and Vaughn.

"You had fun?" Vaughn asked.

"Lots of fun. I love when Uncle Eric comes to visit. He's so funny."

"Mommy?"

"Yes Katie?"

"Do you think my first mommy is looking at me from heaven?"

"I'm sure she is sweetie."

They had told her about Brigid as soon as she was able to comprehend the meaning of death. She had seemed okay with it and they didn't mind when she asked questions about her first mommy.

"Do you think she's happy?"

"I think she's very happy. You're a very special little girl. Anyone would be happy to have you as a daughter."

"I'm happy that she chose you and daddy to take care of me."

"Us too." Vaughn answered.

Katie started to drift off to sleep and Vaughn carried her to her room, while Sydney took Emma to her crib. He then went to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses, meeting up with Syd in the living room. She smiled as he came in, and he sat next to her own the couch and poured to glasses of wine.

"To Katie and Brigid." Vaughn said clinking glasses with Syd.

They spent a few minutes in silence before Vaughn realized something.

"Syd, are you okay? You didn't drink your wine."

"I'm fine Michael. I'm just thinking."

"Of what?"

"The new baby."

"You're pregnant?" He asked, the breath catching in his throat.

"I'm pregnant."

The End.

* * *

Hides behind rock so I won't get shot. But people I had to end it that way because I started with Sydney miscarrying…if you really want to know what she has and what she named it (because I actually thought it out), pm or email and I'll tell you. 


End file.
